Douglas Wallace Architects has won two Irish Architecture Awards 2006 for the design of the EYE Cinema in Galway, which was developed by Galway-based development company Edward Holdings. The Eye Cinema project won a Special Award for Best Commercial Building and also the top prize in Category C in the Western Region, which involved projects costing over €4million located in Clare, Galway, Leitrim, Mayo, Roscommon or Sligo.

The awards were presented to Douglas Wallace by the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI), the representative body for professionally qualified architects in Ireland. The organisation commended the Eye Cinema project as follows: "The challenge of raising the standard of commercial architecture has been achieved in this project. The clear expression of the cinemas, the bright foyers, the clear forms and the detailing all contribute to the vitality of this building."

The EYE Cinema, which opened in March 2005, is a stunning design that recreated the magic of the cinema-going experience and also represented a dramatic move away from today’s reality of the cinema experience which is so often bland, corporate and uninspiring.

Douglas Wallace used distinctive copper pods on the exterior of the building and a dramatic 100 metre curved glass wall which allows visibility to the pre-cinema experience. To complement this, the main concourse is completely exposed to allow passers-by a unique opportunity to view activities taking place within the complex.

Referring to the prestigious Irish Architecture Awards, for the EYE Cinema, Hugh Wallace, Managing Director of Douglas Wallace, says it is a wonderful achievement for the entire team at Douglas Wallace. "It is a testament to the highly skilled professionals at Douglas Wallace and reflects the expert approach we take with our clients on a daily basis. The entire team worked very hard on the EYE Cinema project and we are very proud that this work has been recognised by the RIAI."

The Irish Architecture Awards celebrate and promote the range, variety and quality of current work by members of the RIAI at home and abroad. All projects entered for the 2006 awards were certified 'practically complete' during the calendar year 2005. The award winning projects and commended entries will form an exhibition, which is expected to be shown in venues throughout Ireland and in London. The Irish Architecture Awards 2006 are an essential element in the RIAI’s campaign to communicate to the public the high standard of professional conduct in contemporary Irish Architecture.